I will be bringing (half of) my mother's remains to the playa this year (I lost the other half...just kidding). Could I leave you more ash and redeem a playa brick? In all seriousness, this is a fantastic gift. I've held onto my mom's ashes for so many years waiting for the right time and place to spread them and I've grown strangely attached. Well if they do, indeed, end up in the temple this year, it would be amazing to have a small keepsake to take home. I'm camping in Terminal Village and will definitely look you up!

If anyone is thinking of doing this, please don't sit on the fence, it's a truly beautiful way to remember someone. Goathead took a pinch of ashes and mixed it with the playa dust, then melted them into a rock. It is magical to watch it happen.

AntiM wrote:I'd bring some of my brother's ashes, but he donated his body to the cadaver program. He would think this was way cool.

We donated my father's body to a cadaver program too but after a year they called us up to pick up the ashes. Maybe the place you donated to does something similar?

I kept the ashes in a treasure chest in my living room for years but it freaked my sisters out. Eventually one of them took the chest and buried it on her land....wonder if it's possible that they saved any of the ashes above ground. Will have to check. Super cool idea Goat.

Me and my sister stopped by on that windy, dusty Friday afternoon. You managed to make one stone with our mother's ashes before the elements made it impossible. I just wanted to say thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for what you did, and the wonderful home brew and great company. I am designing a pendent to hold the stone right now. I'll post photos when I get it done.

After a few attempts, I finally located Goathead and the homebrew camp on a dusty Saturday morning. He was eating breakfast and obviously recovering from a night of slight overindulgence.

We had packed our daughter's ashes to bring to him for this unique and wonderful gift. She passed away 16 years ago. I was not really expecting the emotional response I had when I got them out and got a small pinch of them out and placed them into Goat's large worn hand. I suppose it serves to prove the point that with time we can learn to accept and live with the loss of a child or loved one, but the pain of that loss is always there, just beneath the surface and it will come out when it decides to.

Conditions weren't good at that time for using the lens, so I entrusted Rachel's ashes with him and headed back to camp with plans to either swing back by Sunday before he left or make arrangements for him to send the stone to us. Well, as the Playa does, I never made it back over and in an exchange of messages, I sent Goat my address and the stone arrived this past Monday.

Pictures do not do it justice. It is beautiful and you can see flecks of her ashes in the shiny black surface.

Thank you Goathead, this will be a treasured stone and a cherished Playa gift that I do not think can ever be topped.